Improvement in umbrella-frames



J. MINIRE. Umbrella-Frame,

No. 215,830. Patented May 211879.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITUGRAPHEH, WASHINGTON, D, C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE,

JULES MINIE'RE, OF BORDEAUX, FRANCE.

IMPROVEMENT IN UMBRELLA-FRAMES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,830, dated May27,1879 application filed December' 28, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULES M1NIRE,ot` Rue Oassan No. l2, at Bordeaux,France, have invented certain Improvements in Umbrellas and Parasols,ot' which the'following is a specification.

My invention has for object an improved means of automatically closingumbrellas, sunshades, Ste., by aid of one hand. This result ofautolnatic closing is obtained in the follow` ing manner:

First, the libs and stretchers tend always to come together on the caneor stick of the umbrella under the action of' springs placed, hrst,

either on the stretchers second, at the jointing of the stretcher andthe ribs; third, on the ribs; fourth, between the stretchers or betweenthe ribs. These springs kee'p the umbrella closed without its beingnecessary to have recourse to the employment ot' a lipped or cuppedrunner. The umbrella is kept open by the arrangement of an upper stop,which opposes the movement of closing ot' the springs.

Second, a drawing mechanism placed in the cane or stick operates todisengage the ruimer held by the stop when the springs (the action ofwhich .is no longer impeded) automatically eii'ect the closing ot' theumbrella. One hand alone sufhces to work this drawing mechanismcontained in the stick, and consequently to close the umbrella.

Springs producing the automatic olosiiig.-The springs employed arehelical or coiled springs formed by a single coil or turn, or by twocoils or turns superposed, and they act by means of the two rods or freeextremities of the steel wire, which terminate the coils or turns,whether these rods tend to approach each other or whether they tend toseparate from each other, the diameter of the coil diminishing as soonas the spring vis stretched.

Figure 1 of the annexed drawings represents a spring, R, of steel wire,with two superposed coils or turns-that is to say, with double coil orturn. To obtain it the steel wire is rst coiled helically around acylindrical axis of a determined diameter, and when the desired numberof coils or turns are made a second coil is formed above the first. Thetwo rods or free extremities A and B of the steel wire are thus on thesame side of the coils, each of which is composed of four or tive turns.The spring R is seen flat and not bent or set.

Fig. 2 represents this spring in side view, and bent, set, or stretched.The rod A terminates at the inner coil, and serves as the fixed fspring. This rod B is flattened and enveloped by a metallic socket,which gives it the necessary rigidity 5 then it is bent or curved inorder that it may not touch the fork j'. It has at its end a button orlittle metal ball, S, that travels in the groove in the rib.

Fig. 3 shows a helical spring, It', with a single coil or turn. (Seentlat and not bent or set.) On each side of the coil is a single rod, Aor B', ot' steel wire, and it works in the same way as the spring Rabove described. The ball S, or the stud or button terminating the rod Bof the helical spring', may be replaced by asmall eyelet formed by thesteel wire.

I employ, by preference, the spring B, with double coils or turns,because it has more strength and elasticity under the same pressure.

l. Position of the spring on the stretcher.- Fig. 4L shows the forkwhich terminates the stretch er. This fork carries a pin, which servesas an axis for the spring It, and is jointed to the rib.

Fig. 5 shows the arrangement of a small ball, S, ot' the rod B in therib. For this purpose I use the ordinary paragon ribs, trough-shaped,

as at M N, but larger and deeper, the two opposite walls ot' which aresimply brought together for a determined length by the aid of a mandrel,according to the travel of the small ball. In this way the small ball Sis held in the rib while having perfectly. free play. I can also employa completely tubular rib withI a longitudinal slot, or else I can applythe ball to the ordinary rib enlarged deeper, and with a slotted sleeve.I designate by M the end of the rib which is jointed to the fixed topnotch-init, and by N the free end, the extremity of which bears againstthe runner. Near this part N', Fig. 6, is mounted a bit or rest, J, intowhich the stretcher lits when the umbrella is closed. The rib is bentnear the middle bit or center joint of articulation.

Fig. (5 shows the position of the helical spring R on the stretcher F.This spring is carried by the pin I ofthe fork f to within twocentimeters of the middle bit, G, of the rib.

The rod or free extremity A rests on the stretcher, in the groot'e ot'which enters the hook which terminates it, and the rod B is joined tothe rib N by the metallic ball S, which is retained by the channelformed by the bringing together ofthe walls from the joints G to E ot1the rib, within which it slides freely. As soon as the umbrella isopened the spring B,

carried by the stretcher, quits the t'ree end N ot the rib; but thelittle ball S keeps it always in communication with this rib, where itslides while approaching the bit or joint of articulation. The stretcheris seen in a position nearly perpendicular to the rib.

Fig. 7 shows the position of the spring R when the umbrella is closed.This sprin g presses on the free part N of the rib, against which itholds the stretcher. In this position of the spring on the stretcher thetwo rods or free extremities A and B of the steel wire, continuallytending to come together, determine thus the automatic closing ot'umbrellas sun-shades, Ste.

M'odiyicatt'on Fig. 8.--The pin of the bit of y articulation G serves asan axis for the helical s rin R. The rod A iresses against the rib P g le M, and the rod B bears against the stretcher F. The action of thespring is operated thereby. These two rods have a tendency to separateone from the other, and thereby the rod B brings back the stretchertoward the free part N ot' the rib, and thus determines the auto maticclosing ot' the umbrella.

Jitodv'jicctton Fig. Q -The spring Ris held by a pin serving it as anaxis in a clip or bit, K, mounted on the rib M. The rod A presses on therib M, and the rod B, enveloped by a metallic socket, bears against thestretcherF, in the groove of which its extremity slides freely. Theact-ion of this spring is the same as that in the second modiiication,and acts by the separation of the two rods A and B. The spring mightalso be placed on the free part N of the rib, and the action ot' the tworods A and B would be still the same.

The ribs and the stretchers are each furnished with a small fork, bywhich they are jointed, the first to the top notch and the second to theflange of the runner, and the entanglin'g ofthe ribs, and consequentlytheir rupture, isthus avoided. The two notchesttop notch and runner)have their sixteen grooves or notches.

I employ by preference the first modification of the spring on thestretcher, because the automatic closing is produced very rapidly withapplication ot' the free extremities ot' the ribs against the runner.

llccham'smfor disent/aging the remmen- The stick X of the umbrella has agroove, D, Figs. 1() and 11, which receives a metallic blade, L, whichis movable., and which carries two projections, a and I), Fig. 12, andis placed on edge in the said groove I).

The projection a enters a movable t'errule, V, placed on the stick orhandle, Fig. 155. The other projection, b, bears against the runner I?when the umbrella is open. This blade L is held in the groove of thestick by the movable ferrule V, and by the socket extended from the topnotch, g, under which it slides freely. The second metallic blade, T,serves to conceal the groove which is made at the extremity of thestick.

In hollow canes or sticks in wood or metal the groove is dispensed with,and is replaced by two slots, e e', Fig. 14, through which enter the twoproject-ions a and b ot' the blade L, Fig. l5, placed inside of thestick.

The projection a is held by the movable ferrule, on which it is turneddown, andthe projection b is held by a rivet. The movable ferrule islong enough to always conceal the slot e', Fig. I4. On the lengthenedsocket of the top notch a spring, o, formed of a steel blade, Fig. 13,is fitted, the free extremity ot' which serves to maintain the runnerwhen the umbrella is open. The end ot' this spring-blade O has aprojection obtained by punching out, and this projection enters an ovalopening' in the lengthened socket d otl the runner P in such way as topress on the stick itselt. Fig. 16 shows the runner with its lengthenedsocket d, into which the opening has been contrived.

When the umbrella is open the socket of the ruimer I encounters theprojection b of the blade L, which is drawn up by the socket, and whichsocket raises the spring O, which then enters the opening and fixes theruimer. In solid canes it is the projection b which in abutting againstthe socket of the top notch stops the runner in its travel. In hollowcanes or sticks the upper slot, e, stops prqjection b, and consequentlythe runner. To close the umbrella it is sut'ticient to draw down themovable ferrule V with the thumb, and the projection b ot' the bladeLfrees the runner; then the helical springs act rapidly and withstrength to produce the automatic closing,

which is thus done by aid of the one hand which holds the handle.

This umbrella closing by means of one hand I name Velox.77

Having now described the nature of my said invention, and in what mannerthe same is to be performethI declare that I claiml. The combination, inan umbrella, ot' the ribs and stretchers with a two-armed spring, AB,the one arm, A made fast to the stretcher, the other arm, B, attached tothe rib so as t0 slide freely thereon, and the spring operating to drawthe ribs and stretchers together, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in an umbrella, of the ribs and stretchers, thetwo-armed springs A B, statt' X, runner P, blade L, having projections ab. spring o, and movable ferrule V, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specitication in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses: JULES MINIERE.

RoB'r. M. HooPER, CHARLES MARDELER.

